Rising river alert - Snowy river below Jindabyne dam - October

The NSW Department of Industry today issued a ‘rising river alert’ for the Snowy River between Jindabyne Dam and Dalgety in southern NSW for Wednesday 30 October 2019.

The river will rise due to the fourth and largest high-flow event in a series of five planned environmental releases from Jindabyne Dam to the Snowy River in 2019.

The highest flow rate will occur at Jindabyne Dam from 8am to 4pm on Wednesday 30 October 2019 and will be equivalent to 5,000 megalitres per day for the eight hour period.

It is expected to see the river water level at Dalgety rise from 1.05m to 1.54m, a rise of 0.49m. This is the largest of the planned high-flow releases; however, due to the current drought this year’s largest flow is approximately half the size of previous years and will see water released from the cone valves only.

For the remainder of Wednesday 30 October, the flow rate will be about 3,526 megalitres per day. The flow rate will drop back to a target of about 1,720 megalitres per day on Thursday 31 October.

The environmental changes from this release are expected to be greatest between the dam wall to the junction with the Delegate River. However, the pulse will be noticeable down to the estuary in Victoria.

It is important to note that water released at Jindabyne will take about five to six hours to reach Dalgety Weir at this flow rate. Landholders downstream of the Jindabyne Dam are advised to take all necessary precautions with stock, fencing and property in proximity to the river.

The department will work with the NSW State Emergency Service and the Bureau of Meteorology to provide information to the community regarding the management of this release should weather conditions warrant.

More information can be found at - www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/basins-catchments/snowy-river/initiative/increased-flows